


Angel of Music

by Tammaiya



Category: X -エックス- | X/1999
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-07-26
Updated: 2004-07-26
Packaged: 2018-08-10 03:26:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7828666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tammaiya/pseuds/Tammaiya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Reasons, the Dragons of Earth and Dragons of Heaven agree to settle things with a karaoke showdown.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Angel of Music

**Author's Note:**

> It was 2004, okay, PLEASE DON'T JUDGE ME. orz
> 
> Please note:  
> * Didn't even try to make this feel Japanese. They are in a karaoke BAR, as opposed to the kind of karaoke booths you actually get in Japan, and all the songs are Western pop.  
> * Also, I didn't warn for underage, but this is CLAMP, so "background canon relationships" includes some kind of skeezy relationships.

“Someone please remind me why this is necessary?” Subaru asked plaintively, the way in which he kept fingering his ofuda betraying his nervousness.  
  
“Because Hinoto-hime said so?” Sorata suggested helpfully, oblivious to the dirty look that greeted these words.  
  
“And how do we know that Angels will stick to the truce?” Subaru argued.  
  
“Um… because Hinoto-hime said so?” Sorata repeated, shrugging. Arashi gave him a withering look.  
  
“It’s in their best interests,” she answered flatly. “Angels will die too if they don’t.”  
  
“I think it’s a nice idea,” Karen said calmly. “Much better to settle our differences without violence.”  
  
“I agree,” Seiichirou said cheerfully.  
  
“But--” Kamui started, and blushed when everyone turned to look at him, as he’d been sitting with a dazed expression for the last five minutes or so. “But doesn’t it disadvantage the Angels?”  
  
There was a silence as the assembled Seals considered this.  
  
“Hinoto-hime said that some of their people were less than dedicated to the cause,” Arashi said quietly. “Perhaps they feel that mediation will achieve more for them.”  
  
“They can’t think we’ll just give in and let them destroy the world, though,” Kamui said, violet eyes rather distraught as hope warred with paranoia.  
  
“It’s always worth a try,” Sorata said optimistically. “If worse comes to worst, we’ll all be there so we can just have the Final Day early.”  
  
An unimpressed pause greeted his words. “Thanks, Sorata,” Kamui sighed.  
  
“What’d I say?” Sorata whispered when Subaru and Arashi glared at him. Neither bothered to reply.  
  
“But why Karaoke?” Subaru said miserably.  
  
“Because it’s fun!” Yuzuriha cheered.  
  
This was some huge cosmic joke, Subaru concluded darkly. Played by someone with a really sadistic sense of humour.  
  
~  
  
“No.”  
  
“Subaru…”  
  
“NO.”  
  
“But you have to come!” Kamui said helplessly. “Everyone has to be there!”  
  
“I’ll go,” Subaru said, looking pained, “but I won’t sing. And I am not wearing anything that I do not usually wear.”  
  
Kamui blinked. “I never said you had to do that last one.”  
  
Subaru’s look of confusion matched the younger boy’s for a second as he reminded himself that Hokuto wasn’t going to try to dress him up, and then he nodded. “Right. Good. But I’m still not going to sing.”  
  
Kamui was very quickly affecting that wounded puppy look he had perfected over the last year, and Subaru flinched. “You have to, Subaru. That’s the whole point.”  
  
“I’m not singing,” Subaru said firmly, refusing to look at Kamui’s expression. “No one can make me, and that is _final_.”  
  
It would have worried him to know exactly how wrong he was.  
  
~  
  
An entire Karaoke bar had been hired out for the occasion, a precaution Subaru suspected had been taken because whoever was responsible for this didn’t quite trust them not to break out into large-scale brawling. Then again, perhaps it was because they understood that there was no way that the majority of the Dragons would sing in front of the strangers.

Actually, Subaru was pretty sure that there was no way the majority of the Dragons would sing under any circumstances, him included. He hadn’t sung for Seishirou and his sister, so there was certainly no way he’d sing for something like the end of the world.  
  
… There was something strangely wrong with that statement.  
  
The assembled Dragons shot each other wary looks as they filed into the bar, several of them obviously itching to start a fight. Subaru was in a quietly foul mood, especially once he found out that the doors had been locked behind them and they were not allowed to leave until this was sorted out. He had a very sinking feeling that ‘sorting it out’ may involve him being forced to participate, though not if he could help it.  
  
At least there were no “No Smoking” signs, he thought sourly. However, even that minor victory was compromised when he realised he couldn’t find his lighter. Upon reflection, he recalled the last place he’d seen it was…  
  
On his bedside table. _Damn_.  
  
“Need a light?”  
  
Cursing under his breath, Subaru turned around to find Seishirou standing right behind him with a lighter and a smirk. Surprised, Subaru almost stepped backwards on reflex and forced himself to stop when Seishirou’s obvious amusement grew more pronounced. Sighing rather grumpily, he held the cigarette up to be lit and took a deep drag once it was.  
  
“You don’t seem particularly bothered by the situation,” Subaru muttered sourly, uncomfortably aware of the curious glances the other Seals were giving him, not to mention the concern emanating from Kamui in near-tangible waves.  
  
“Why would I be?” Seishirou said pleasantly. “It was, after all, my own idea.”  
  
Subaru must have breathed the smoke from his cigarette wrongly, because he suddenly began coughing violently. Seishirou chuckled. “Is there a problem, Subaru-kun?”  
  
“This was _your_ idea?” Subaru exclaimed weakly, expression extremely comical.  
  
“Of course,” Seishirou said cheerfully. “It would be a shame for me never to hear you sing, wouldn’t it? You refused last time we came to a Karaoke bar, if I recall correctly.”  
  
“If you remember that, you should remember that I don’t sing,” Subaru answered through gritted teeth. The rest of the Seals were downright staring now, though the Angels didn’t seem particularly interested and were carrying on their own conversations. Kamui appeared to be torn between coming to aid Subaru and remaining as far from the Angels as possible in the limited space, but he was having to divide his attention as Fuuma had grown bored and was shooting some very speculative looks in his direction.  
  
“I hope you aren’t going to tell me you _can’t_ sing, Subaru-kun,” Seishirou said chidingly. “I’m afraid I wouldn’t believe you.”  
  
“That isn’t the point,” Subaru argued. “The point is that whether I can sing or whether I can’t, I have no intention of doing so.”  
  
“Sorry, not an option. Singing is mandatory today. Especially for you.”   
  
Subaru did not like that rather suggestive expression accompanying that last part. It created the twin urges of edging away and moving closer, the two of which thankfully cancelled each other out. “I hate you.”  
  
“I’m sure you do, Subaru-kun,” Seishirou said soothingly. “But no killing is allowed; there are wards in place to ensure that all powers are bound.”  
  
That certainly got everyone’s attention. Fuuma’s face darkened into a sulky glare and Kamui looked tentatively relieved. Aside from Satsuki, who seemed indifferent, everyone else was either disappointed or reassured.  
  
“So,” Seishirou continued, “someone has to start.”  
  
The silence was deafening. Yuzuriha was the only one who even wanted to be there, and she was too shy to speak up. Seishirou smirked again. “We’re going to be here until this is over with,” he pointed out patiently, tone implying that he had all the time in the world and he was quite happy to wait that long too.  
  
Seeing that no one else was going to say anything, Yuzuriha cleared her throat nervously. “Um, I’ll do it?”  
  
“Excellent,” Seishirou said. “Everything is set up on the stage.”  
  
Wrinkling her nose, Yuzuriha walked over to the stage with Inuki padding behind her. She was contemplating the vast array of songs on offer when Karen joined her to remind her softly that she had to choose strategically to try and aim it at one of the Angels.  
  
“Oh, yeah!” Yuzuriha exclaimed, giggling as she examined the titles once more. “I’d forgotten. Thanks!”  
  
While Yuzuriha carefully considered her choices, Seishirou motioned towards the bar on the other side of the room. “I forgot to mention, they left the bar stocked. I assume that will make things somewhat more relaxed.”  
  
Subaru had a bad feeling about this. He wasn’t the only one, either, from the way Seiichirou was frowning.  
  
“Half the occupants of this room are underage, though.”  
  
Alright, maybe he was the only one with his _particular_ concerns.  
  
Seishirou shrugged. “And? If they’re old enough to be involved in the Apocalypse, I hardly think the legal drinking age should apply.”  
  
Seiichirou nodded reluctantly, his responsible nature protesting but logic forcing him to concede that the other man had a point. Yuuto looked rather worried too, Subaru noticed, though that was likely the semi-evil expression of interest dawning on Satsuki’s face.  
  
Interesting.  
  
“I’ve chosen!” Yuzuriha announced gleefully, bouncing up and down on the stage with mike in hand. “Got To Get You Into My Life, the Beatles!” She grinned at Kusanagi, and he turned a rather fascinating shade of red.  
  
Karen hid her smile, secretly sure that Yuzuriha had chosen perfectly and distinctly proud of the girl’s feminine intuition. The music started up, and with that the fight for the end of the world began.  
  
Yuzuriha’s high-pitched voice was pleasantly childish, and from the rapt way Kusanagi stared at the stage as she jumped around, it was certainly achieving what it was meant to achieve. Karen noted the not-so-subtle way Kusanagi was avoiding the glances from his team members, and concluded that they had almost undoubtedly landed a convert to their cause. It was, she felt, a good way to kick off.  
  
Subaru probably observed at the back of his mind how Yuzuriha’s performance went, but he was too preoccupied to pay it much mind. Despite his reservations, he had headed over nearly immediately to the bar to find himself something alcoholic. His mind warned him that this was probably an incredibly bad idea, especially given how rarely he drank and how little he had eaten or drunk that day, but he ignored it-- singing karaoke was practically on his top 10 list of things he never wanted to do, and singing karaoke in front of Seishirou more than made the grade. He was going to need alcohol to dull the pain and possibly the memory.  
  
It was a pity he wasn’t paying more attention to his surroundings; the intent and satisfied way in which Seishirou’s vision tracked his every movement from across the room might have persuaded him to rethink the wisdom of his actions, otherwise.

Meanwhile, Satsuki had given Yuuto the slip to try her hand at mixing cocktails using recipes she’d found on the internet and Kamui was weighing up the pros of getting drunk. If he and Subaru had been watching each other, they may have had the foresight to stop each other before they both did something potentially idiotic. Then again, perhaps they would have gotten smashed together in a particularly spectacular manner instead. Either way, it didn’t happen, and both were unaware of the fact that the other was laying into the alcohol or the predatory attention they were being paid by Fuuma and Seishirou respectively.  
  
When Yuzuriha finished her song, she dropped the mike and hurled herself off the stage and into Kusanagi’s arms with a squeal. Kusanagi caught her with a bemused but happy expression, and Seishirou turned his attention momentarily from the soon-to-be-tipsy Subaru to raise an eyebrow at Fuuma. “I’d say we lost that round, wouldn’t you?”  
  
“Shut up,” Fuuma groused. “This is your fault. I don’t know why I even agreed to this stupid idea.”  
  
“Because we were going to lose anyway and this way is more fun?” Seishirou suggested mildly, watching Subaru and trying to figure out how much more Subaru could drink before he began to get intoxicated. He hadn’t had much yet, but Seishirou suspected Subaru had a low alcohol tolerance. He’d have to intervene at some point; as much as he looked forward to seeing a drunk Subaru, he had to make sure the other onmyouji was still sober enough to sing. It would take all the fun out of his evening, otherwise.  
  
“You don’t _know_ we were going to lose,” Fuuma snapped, sounding rather petulant. Most of his mind was occupied by observing Kamui, who was setting about getting legless much quicker and more efficiently than Subaru was. He was paying more attention than his companion, but that wasn’t really saying much.  
  
“Yes I do,” Seishirou contradicted, voice infuriatingly unruffled. “It was obvious. As long as their _Kamui_ retained his Wish, your true nature refused to let itself be completely crushed. If even part of your true nature remains, you can’t kill him. If you can’t kill him, we can’t win. It’s as simple as that. Not that I particularly care who wins.”  
  
“I hate it when you’re right,” Fuuma said flatly, feeling distinctly uneasy at the way his true self flared up gently at the assassin’s words.  
  
“I’m always right,” Seishirou said smugly, and moved away to bother Subaru before Fuuma could reply. Left without anything else he wanted to do, Fuuma decided to partake in his favourite game of Kamui-baiting. It would have to be toned down a bit thanks to those bloody wards, of course, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t still play.  
  
An evil smile lit up Fuuma’s face as he contemplated all the possibilities available with a drunk Kamui and through the medium of music. Maybe this idea of Seishirou’s wasn’t so bad after all.  
  
Also at the bar, it seemed that Satsuki had discovered that a Tequila Sunrise was something she didn’t find boring in the least. Yuuto had finally noticed, and was trying to persuade her that she’d had enough with a rather distressed expression. Karen noticed the minor drama going on, and immediately picked up on the body language they were both projecting. She hadn’t been a Soapland girl without picking up a few instincts on the way, and she smiled mischievously as a plan occurred to her.  
  
“I’m going to sing now,” she murmured to Seiichirou, who looked vaguely confused but nodded anyway. Shrugging off her coat, she stepped up to the stage and studied the selection, laughing under her breath when she found the perfect song. She motioned for Sorata to come over, and when she pointed the song out for him, his face flamed red, much to her amusement.  
  
“No, seriously?”  
  
“Just put it on when I signal,” Karen told him sweetly. Surveying the stage, she sashayed over to the piano and sat elegantly on the top of it, leaning her weight back on her hand and crossing one long leg over the other. She didn’t know why they needed a piano in a karaoke bar, but she assumed it was an atmosphere thing. It was certainly suiting her purpose in that department.  
  
Her gaze swept the audience, pleased to note the wide-eyed look Seiichirou was giving her, the interested manner in which Yuuto was sizing her up and the glare the drunken Satsuki was aiming at her and Yuuto alternately. Smile growing, she clicked her fingers at Sorata. “Hit it, kiddo.”  
  
Rolling his eyes, Sorata hit the play button and stepped back to let Karen do her thing, because she seemed to know what she was doing.  
  
The music started up, and Karen stretched backwards on the piano, voice rising above the backing low and melodic.  
  
“He met Marmalade down in old Moulin Rouge, strutting her stuff on the street. She said, ‘Hello, hey Joe, you wanna give it a go?’ Oh!” she sang, seductive look encompassing both Seiichirou and Yuuto and smile pure mischief. She continued the song, amused by how Satsuki’s glare grew progressively darker as Yuuto’s appreciative gaze grew more pronounced, not to mention Seiichirou’s obvious bemusement.  
  
When she reached the chorus, she swung her legs onto the ground and slid off the piano, stalking to the front of the stage with a swing in her hips and a smirk on her lips. This was her element, well and truly; the Angels didn’t stand a chance.  
  
“Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?”  
  
By the time the song had ended, Karen felt rather like the cat that got the cream. The heterosexual males in the room all looked stunned, and Kamui was blushing. So what if Subaru, Seishirou and Fuuma were ignoring her? She wasn’t going to take it to heart; anyone that obsessed (and gay) could hardly be expected to have their heads turned by anything this minor. Satsuki was looking like a little thundercloud, too. Mission accomplished.  
  
Yuuto should have kept a closer eye on his female companion, Karen thought smugly. He had forgotten that it was a good idea to keep a short reign on underage drunks, obviously, because Satsuki had slipped away again, this time with the stage as her goal. She dragged Nataku with her, and with instructions even the clueless bioroid couldn’t mistake, grabbed the microphone and flounced up onto the stage, stumbling slightly with the effects of the alcohol.  
  
“I’m singing Jealousy,” she said flatly. “By the Pet Shop Boys.”  
  
Yuuto’s expression was priceless. He’d torn his eyes away from Karen at the sound of Satsuki’s voice, and was obviously having difficultly coming to grips with the concept of her singing karaoke.  
  
Satsuki spared one poisonous scowl for Karen during the opening strains and spent the rest of the song with her vision trained intently upon Yuuto, clearly aiming the song at him. Karen, confident that the message was hitting home, moved to join him. She tapped him on the shoulder, ignoring the nasty look that earned her from the current singer, and raised an eyebrow at him when he turned around.  
  
“You know,” she said idly, “if you win, she’s going to die.”  
  
Yuuto blinked, expression unreadable.  
  
“Maybe she could find something to make life worth it,” Karen added. “Something to think about.” She left to return to Seiichirou’s side before he could respond, and Yuuto stared after her, suddenly very unsure of what he should do.  
  
“Another one wavering,” Karen whispered to Seiichirou as the last notes died away. “And if he changes, she’s as good as ours.”  
  
During this time, Seishirou had decided that Subaru had drunk a sufficient amount and had caught his wrists from behind so he couldn’t pick his glass up again.  
  
“Ah ah ah, Subaru-kun. I think you’ve had enough.”  
  
Subaru stiffened when he felt Seishirou against his back. “Get off.”  
  
“Now, that’s not very nice. You should thank me, I’ve only got your best interests at heart.”  
  
Subaru craned his neck just so he could glare at Seishirou over his shoulder. “Liar.”  
  
Seishirou shrugged eloquently, absently watching Satsuki’s performance. “Perhaps that’s not my only reason. I believe your Seals are winning by a rather stunning amount, in case you were wondering.”  
  
“I don’t really care,” Subaru answered coldly, wondering if Seishirou would let him go long enough to get a little drunker. To the point of passing out, maybe. He was just thankful that everyone was paying too much attention to the stage to notice the company he was keeping, voluntary or not.  
  
Seishirou smirked, knowing that once the alcohol had seeped into Subaru’s system the effects would begin to show a little more. “A pity that the apocalypse matters so little to you.”  
  
He glanced over to the other end of the bar where Fuuma and Kamui were almost playing a bizarre form of musical chairs, Kamui edging away and hiding behind benches and other people every time Fuuma came near, occasionally tripping as the vodka cruisers or whatever that pink drink had been took hold.  
  
“Go away,” Subaru sighed.  
  
“No thank you,” Seishirou said charmingly. “I’m quite happy here.”  
  
There was a dull thud as Subaru let his head thunk into the bar, and Seishirou suppressed a smirk. This was, he decided, one of his better ideas.  
  
Back over near the stage, Yuuto was trying to placate a put-out Satsuki with little success. Phrases such as “… I didn’t know you felt that way…” and “Don’t be like that” could be heard if one were inclined to listen in. Eventually Yuuto gave up on both words and his qualms about age gaps and kissed her to illustrate his point.  
  
This went over much better. Chalk two more up to the Seals.  
  
Sorata was looking between Arashi and the stage contemplatively. “Hey, Nee-chan--”  
  
“No,” she said coldly.  
  
“You didn’t even know what I was going to say!” Sorata whined, utterly wounded.  
  
She stared at him flatly. “No, I will not sing a duet with you.”  
  
Sorata blinked. “Hey, how’d you…?” He brightened. “It must be true love!”  
  
Arashi’s icy look got a little bit icier, but if anything it only seemed to encourage him. Standing up, he winked at her bemused expression. “Guess I’ll just have to sing by myself, huh? Gotta woo my lovely Nee-chan!”  
  
Without waiting for her response, he jumped up on the stage, leaving her sitting there feeling lost. She didn’t understand Sorata; he confused her, made her feel flustered so she wasn’t quite sure how she felt about him. And what on Earth was he going to do now? She was almost afraid to find out.  
  
Sorata found Kamui where he was cowering behind the bar. “Hey, Kamui, can you do me a favour?”  
  
“Huh?” Kamui responded intelligently, looking up at Sorata with unfocussed eyes.  
  
Sorata stared at him for a second. “Hey, is it just me or are you kind of… drunk?”  
  
Kamui considered this carefully. “Yes,” he answered eventually. “Thank God.”  
  
“Right, then.” Sorata decided that maybe he should try to look out for Kamui for the rest of the evening just to make sure he’d be okay. He wasn’t going to comment, though; if Kamui wanted to get drunk, hell. He deserved a break. “So, favour?”  
  
“Okay,” Kamui agreed, voice mildly slurred. “What is it?”  
  
Sorata grinned. “I need you to play something for me.”  
  
Kamui shrugged. “Sure.” He grabbed the edge of the bar, and then he hesitated. “Um. Could you help me up?”  
  
When the music started up again, everyone immediately turned their heads to see who was singing next, even those who were somewhat preoccupied. After it became apparent that Sorata had decided it was his turn, there were a lot of very incredulous looks being aimed at the stage.  
  
Arashi froze when Sorata looked straight at her and smiled. “Maybe it’s intuition, but some things you just don’t question, like in your eyes, I see my future in an instant, and there it goes, I think I’ve found my best friend. I know that it might sound more than a little crazy, but I believe… I knew I loved you before I met you, I think I dreamed you into life…”  
  
Arashi cursed when she felt her cheeks tinge pink, eyes widening at the very heartfelt love in Sorata’s eyes and voice. Once the song had finished and he had rejoined her, she tried to think of something scathing to say to regain some measure of control over the situation.  
  
“You were supposed to try to aim it at one of the Angels,” she said, voice wavering ever so slightly.  
  
Sorata laughed sheepishly. “But Nee-chan, who would I sing it to if not you?” he said loudly, drawing the attention of the others in the room. “I can’t help not being obsessed with any of the Angels-- I’ll leave that up to the others!”  
  
There were a lot of very shifty looks and embarrassed coughs as over half the Seals suddenly refused to meet anyone’s eyes. Sorata blinked. “What? It’s true, isn’t it?”  
  
The Angels tried to be subtle about the fact that they were listening very intently in upon the conversation, but failed miserably, particularly since those most interested were generally sitting next to a Seal anyway.  
  
Arashi sighed. She had the feeling that she was about to do something she would sincerely regret, but the way Sorata looked at her was making her want to act a little impulsively for a change.  
  
Sorata frowned when Arashi got up. “Hey, Nee-chan, where’re you…?”  
  
Looking down, Arashi didn’t look at him or answer his question, instead moving away to find Karen. Sorata wondered what was happening, as it seemed she had a purpose and wasn’t just trying to get away from him this time.  
  
Karen’s eyebrows flew up in surprise from Arashi’s request, but an approving smile soon lit up her face. “Great, let’s go.”  
  
Taking a deep breath, Arashi stepped up onto the stage and retrieved the microphone from where Sorata had abandoned it on the piano. Her voluntary participation was so unexpected that several of the room’s occupants stared in open shock, Sorata’s mouth falling open as he realised that she really was going to sing.  
  
“I hate the world today,” she sang quietly, voice only just audible over the instruments. “You’re so good to me, I know, but I can’t change.” Her voice gained confidence as she went, and slowly she raised her eyes to look at Sorata. “Tried to tell you but you look at me like maybe I’m an angel underneath, innocent and sweet. Yesterday I cried- you must have been relieved to see the softer side. I can understand how you’d be so confused, I don’t envy you; I’m a little bit of everything, all rolled into one.”  
  
Her lips quirked up in a very tiny smile as she reached the chorus, voice rising to a much louder volume. “I’m a bitch, I’m a lover, I’m a child, I’m a mother, I’m a sinner, I’m a saint, I do not feel ashamed. I’m your hell, I’m your dream, I’m nothing in between, you know you wouldn’t want it any other way!”  
  
Sorata’s stunned look was gradually transforming into ecstatic happiness as it began to sink in that Arashi really did care more than she usually let on. Aside from Karen, who was quite clearly smug on Arashi’s behalf, the other Seals seemed to be having trouble reconciling Arashi with the song she was singing. Kamui, particularly, had a very funny look on his face.  
  
The song ended, and Arashi returned the mike to the top of the piano, stepping gracefully down off the stage and giving Sorata a curiously shy smile before her eyes flickered away and she silently laced their fingers together when she sat down. Sorata’s massive grin practically threatened to split his face in two.  
  
Seishirou, having grown bored of the antics of the Seals by the stage, turned his full attention back to Subaru. “Why don’t you go, Subaru-kun?”  
  
“Not yet,” Subaru mumbled, alcohol causing him to be less vehement than he had been earlier. “Later. Maybe.”  
  
“Well, the two _Kamuis_ have to go last,” Seishirou pointed out, vaguely amused. He should have found a way to be in the same place as Subaru and cocktails sooner. “That leaves you and I.”  
  
There was a pause where Subaru did the mental arithmetic. “That’s not right. There’s five other people who haven’t gone yet!”  
  
“And they aren’t going to, either.”  
  
Subaru scowled. “That’s not fair!”  
  
Seishirou laughed. “On the contrary, it’s more than fair to your side. Kusanagi and Yuuto have already changed sides, and therefore there’s no point in their singing. Kakyou has been in a coma for nine years and has understandably lost the ability to speak, much less sing. Nataku hasn’t got the faintest clue what is going on, and probably wouldn’t do anything if forced onstage.”  
  
“What about Aoki?” Subaru demanded.  
  
Seishirou shrugged. “What about him?”  
  
“You’re just doing this to torment me!”  
  
Smirk. “It took you this long to figure that out? Really, Subaru-kun, I’m very disappointed in you.”  
  
“Shut up,” Subaru muttered. “I’m not singing yet. No.”  
  
Had he been sober, he might have picked up on the ominous, anticipatory glee that Seishirou was exuding and been concerned. “In that case, I suppose someone else will have to go first.”  
  
“Obviously,” Subaru said sarcastically.  
  
“And by the process of elimination, that someone is me,” Seishirou continued, carefully waiting for Subaru’s reaction.  
  
“Good for-- what?”  
  
“Come, Subaru-kun,” Seishirou said, tone tinted with suppressed laughter. “Shall we?”  
  
“But… wait, no, you can’t…” Subaru said blankly, apparently trying to imagine the Sakurazukamori doing karaoke. “You’re going to sing?”  
  
“Did you think I was going to miss it?” Seishirou said innocently. “It’s not as though you haven’t seen me do karaoke before.”  
  
“That was different,” Subaru protested weakly, letting himself be pulled out of his chair and in the direction of the stage. There were a lot of eyes looking their way, he realised nervously.  
  
“Not really,” Seishirou said flippantly, scanning the room for Fuuma. “Ahah.”  
  
“Ahah, what?”  
  
Not bothering to answer, Seishirou dragged Subaru along by the wrist over to where Fuuma was trying to harass Kamui, who had gone to hide behind Sorata and Arashi for protection.  
  
“Monou, would you care to assist me for a moment?”  
  
Fuuma raised an eyebrow. “You’re not.”  
  
“Of course I am,” Seishirou answered calmly while Subaru surreptitiously tried to free his arm. Expression unchanging, Seishirou merely tightened his grip so Subaru winced and went on speaking. “And you’re going to set it up for me.”  
  
Rolling his eyes, Fuuma crossed his arms. “Fine. Which song?”  
  
Glancing at Subaru with a smirk, Seishirou handed Fuuma a folded piece of paper. Fuuma opened it and sniggered. “Appropriate.”  
  
“I like to think so, yes,” Seishirou said, ignoring the very worried look beginning to dawn on Subaru’s face. “Coming, Subaru-kun?”  
  
“Do I have a choice?”  
  
“Not really.”  
  
Subaru sighed, wondering if he could persuade Kamui to get him another drink while Seishirou was distracted. “Fine. Whatever.”  
  
Once onstage, Seishirou picked up the microphone and motioned for Subaru to sit on the piano, which he reluctantly did as it was better than hovering uncertainly. He wished the Seals would stop staring at him like that. Sneaking a glance to make sure Seishirou wasn’t looking his way, he gestured frantically at Kamui, who came over with a bewildered look on his face.  
  
“Kamui,” Subaru hissed, “I need you to get me something to drink. Preferably something strong.”  
  
Kamui blinked. “Are you sure?” he asked, if somewhat hypocritically.  
  
“Yes,” Subaru said fervently. “Very sure.”  
  
Kamui returned with some vodka several minutes later, and Subaru thankfully tried to scull it before Seishirou came back.  
  
And promptly started choking, much to Kamui’s concern. “Subaru, you can’t scull vodka!” he exclaimed, quite horrified.  
  
“It burns!” Subaru squeaked through the coughing, clutching at his throat and trying not to gag.  
  
Kamui winced. “Um, yeah. It does that.”  
  
Once his coughing fit subsided, Subaru tried to stand up and thumped straight back down again, hand flying to his head dazedly. “Whoa. Dizzy.”  
  
“You’re probably quite drunk now,” Kamui said helpfully. “Is that what you wanted?”  
  
“God yes,” Subaru said hazily. “Seishirou-san is going to sing karaoke.”  
  
“That’s…”  
  
“Very strange.”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Oh no, it’s starting.” Subaru groaned. “You’d better go back to your seat before Seishirou-san gets annoyed.”  
  
Trying to send vibes of sympathy at his friend, Kamui stumbled back to his chair next to Sorata and plunked down in his chair, reflecting when the disorientation hit that Subaru wasn’t the only one who’d gotten drunk that evening.  
  
“You alright?” Sorata asked.  
  
“Sakurazuka… thingy,” Kamui said by way of explanation, pointing at the stage.  
  
The song had started.  
  
“Every breath you take, every move you make, every bond you break, every step you take, I’ll be watching you,” Seishirou sang, voice dark and rich like Belgian chocolate and eyes trained on a paralysed Subaru. “Every single day, every word you say, every game you play, every night you stay, I’ll be watching you.”  
  
Subaru was starting to tremble, slightly unnerved by the very intense way Seishirou was staring at him. The inverted pentagrams had lit up with a possessive flare, and absently Subaru rubbed at them, transfixed by Seishirou’s almost hypnotic look. “Oh, can’t you see? You belong to me. How my poor heart aches with every step you take!”  
  
“Poor Subaru,” Karen murmured. “Their relationship is so very twisted.”  
  
“Since you’ve gone, I’ve been lost without a trace- I dream at night, I can only see your face. I look around but it’s you I can’t replace. I feel so cold and I long for your embrace. I keep crying, ‘Baby, please!’”   
  
Subaru’s eyes were wide. “You can’t, this isn’t fair, don’t lie,” he whispered brokenly, distinctly disturbed by Seishirou’s choice of song. Seishirou was smirking at him again, coming closer during the instrumental until they were near enough for Subaru to feel Seishirou’s breath hot against his ear. Trailing fingers down the side of Subaru’s cheek, Seishirou stepped away again. “Oh, can’t you see? You belong to me…”  
  
Subaru was in a state of shock for the rest of the song, a mixture of alcohol and Seishirou’s actions. He didn’t even notice the reactions of his fellow Seals.  
  
Seishirou came back once the music had died away, and looked expectantly at him. “Well?”  
  
“That was a creepy stalker song,” Subaru said faintly.  
  
Seishirou’s mouth quirked. “Are you calling me a creepy stalker, Subaru-kun?”  
  
“Yes,” Kamui muttered under his breath.  
  
“No,” Subaru said slowly. “You were right the first time.”  
  
“The first time?” Taken by surprise, Seishirou frowned slightly.  
  
Subaru nodded. “Yes. When you asked if I thought you were sexy. You’re a sexy stalker.”  
  
He must have been a lot more intoxicated than any of them had previously suspected. The Seals were choking, and even Seishirou seemed to be mixed between being smug and being taken aback. “That was nine years ago.”  
  
Subaru blinked. “And?”  
  
“Never mind,” Seishirou said eventually, after ascertaining that Subaru really was serious. “Weren’t you going to sing now, Subaru-kun?”  
  
“Yes, I was,” Subaru agreed, crushing the slight protest the sensible and presumably sober part of his mind was making. He jumped off the piano, took the microphone from Seishirou’s hand and made his way to the centre of the stage, stumbling only a little. His coordination seemed to have survived the alcohol; it was his inhibitions taking the fall, apparently.  
  
“Stay,” he ordered, waving his hand vaguely. Interested to see what would happen, Seishirou did as he was told, leaning against the piano resting one hand on its lid and crossing his legs at the ankle.  
  
“Right,” Subaru said firmly. “Kamui?”  
  
Warily, Kamui climbed up on the stage to where Subaru was. “Yeah?”  
  
Subaru moved to whisper something in his ear, and ended up draped over his shoulder for balance. “Er. Oops?”  
  
Kamui gulped nervously, unfortunately aware of the way the Sakurazukamori’s eyes had narrowed. He was considering subtly pushing off or maybe using Subaru as a shield when the Sumeragi’s choice of song really hit. “Subaru, you’re not serious!”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Because…” Kamui thought about it, certain that there was a very good reason, but clouded as his mind was he couldn’t seem to remember what it _was_. “It’s a bad idea?”  
  
“So?”  
  
Kamui gave up, praying silently that nothing would explode, and gingerly removed his person from Subaru’s weight, steadying the onmyouji when he swayed. “Okay, okay, whatever you want. Just… don’t do anything stupid?”  
  
Subaru smiled ruefully. “When do I do anything but?”  
  
Kamui tried to think of a tactful answer to that and found he couldn’t, so chose the lesser of two evils and went of to handle the backing. Seishirou watched Subaru and tried to figure out what he was planning on performing.  
  
There was a lot of confusion when the song started up, but after the first few chords everyone’s expression turned rather comical. There was no mistaking it, cover or not, and Subaru’s smile was rather dark as he began to sing for the first time in front of any of his audience.  
  
“Oh baby baby, how was I supposed to know that something wasn’t right, yeah?” His voice was low and bitter, at odds with the strange smile on his face. “Oh baby baby, I shouldn’t have let you go, and now you’re out of sight, yeah! Show me how you want it to be, tell me baby, cause I need to know now, oh because…” Flicking his head, he met Seishirou’s mismatched eyes with his own darkened by something undefinable. “My loneliness is killing me, hey-a-ah, I must confess I still believe! When I'm not with you I lose my mind. Give me a sign-- hit me baby, one more time!”  
  
Seishirou’s expression was rather lustful as he watched his prey let go. Really, he didn’t understand what Subaru’s problem with karaoke had been last time; his younger incarnation had been far too self-conscious and unaware of his own qualities.  
  
“Oh baby baby, the reason I breathe is you, yeah you got me blinded.” A sardonic smirk accompanied those words as Subaru’s gaze travelled to Seishirou’s blank eye, reflecting on the irony that what was figuratively true for him would be literal for his counterpart. “Oh pretty baby, there’s nothing that I wouldn’t do-- it’s not the way I planned it. Show me how you want it to be, tell me baby, cause I need to know now, oh because--” Subaru threw his head back and raked his hand through his hair, causing Kamui to make a strangled squeaking noise and think, ‘Yep. He’s _really_ drunk.’ Seishirou merely appreciated.  
  
“My loneliness is killing me-- I must confess, I still believe! When you’re not with me I lose my mind. Give me a sign, hit me baby one more time!” He looked at Seishirou again, almost forgetting the other Dragons were there, and this time his smile was melancholy. “Oh baby baby, oh oh oh. Oh baby baby, oh, oh… oh baby baby, how was I supposed to know? Oh pretty baby, shouldn’t have let you go, ye-eah. I must confess, my loneliness is killing me now, don’t you know I still believe you will be here? Give me a sign, hit me baby one more time!” He sang the chorus over again several times to the end of the song, walking towards the piano with each line.   
  
“Hit me baby one more time!” He was standing right in front of Seishirou on the finale, strangely vulnerable, dropping the microphone from nerveless fingers to roll across the stage forgotten.  
  
A peculiar thoughtful look graced Seishirou’s features as he grabbed Subaru’s hands, tugging slightly so the intoxicated Sumeragi collapsed pliantly into his arms. “I think you’re drunk, Subaru-kun.”  
  
“I think so too,” Subaru murmured, and then he did something no one had expected-- he wound his arms around Seishirou’s neck and kissed him full on the lips, melting against him and opening his mouth to the other man’s tongue with a soft whimper. Seishirou buried a hand in Subaru’s hair and tightened the other possessively around his waist. Karen seemed torn between concern and aesthetic appreciation, the other Dragons completely stunned, and they probably would have made out then and there on top of the piano had Fuuma not cleared his throat rather peevishly.  
  
“Hey, get a room. Some of us still have a karaoke showdown to finish.”  
  
Seishirou broke away from the kiss, Subaru resting his forehead weakly on the assassin’s shoulder. “Why bother? It’s clear who’s won,” Seishirou pointed out smugly, managing to make it sound a lot dirtier than it should by all rights have been possible to sound. “I’ve decided to change my vote, Nataku doesn’t _have_ a vote, and Kakyou voluntarily vetoed his. That leaves you as the only one opposed to an otherwise unanimous vote against the Apocalypse, wouldn’t you say?”  
  
“Doesn’t mean I can’t have fun,” Fuuma shot back.  
  
“You’re just jealous that your performance’ll be an anti-climax,” Sorata teased, finally recovered from the absolute surrealism of the real-life drama that was Subaru and Seishirou.  
  
“Who says it will be?” Fuuma challenged, grinning evilly at Kamui, who yelped and shrank down into his chair.  
  
Sorata snorted. “Oh, like anything’s gonna beat that.”  
  
Everyone had to admit he had a point. Nevertheless, if it was going to be finished it had to be finished properly, irked as Seishirou was to have his business with Subaru interrupted. He’d waited nine years to reach this point; the urge to feed his former _Kamui_ to the Tree was temptingly strong.  
  
Sighing, he shifted as if to move and chuckled when Subaru clung to his shirt rather desperately. Maybe the Sumeragi was too drunk to get up again or maybe he just didn’t want to let go, but Seishirou was sober-- not to mention possessive-- and was thus perfectly happy to pick Subaru up and carry him off the stage to a seat.  
  
Kamui was very carefully not looking in their direction for fear that his brain would break. Fuuma, on the other hand, looked at them very pointedly. “Are you going to help me or not?”  
  
Seishirou had found one of the armchairs at the edge of the room and with Subaru’s help had arranged their limbs until they both fit, resulting in the Sumeragi straddling the Sakurazukamori’s lap and lying sprawled on his chest. Seishirou stared at Fuuma incredulously. “Are you kidding?”  
  
Fuuma had to admit, grudgingly, that he could see where the assassin was coming from. “Bastard.” He swept an appraising glare over the rest of the room. “Oi, you! Kansai boy!”  
  
Sorata blinked. “Me?”  
  
Fuuma rolled his eyes. “No, the _other_ Kansai. _Yes_ , you. Idiot. You’re going to assist me.”  
  
Sorata glanced uncertainly at Kamui, who bit his lip but nodded hesitantly. Sorata regretfully untangled his hand from Arashi’s and returned to the stage. “Okay, what do you want?” he asked tentatively.  
  
“Haven’t decided yet,” Fuuma said sweetly, sending shudders down people’s spines. “I’m looking.”  
  
“Okay, okay,” Sorata muttered. “Freak.”  
  
“What was that?”  
  
“… Nothing.”  
  
“Yeah, right. Anyway, this one.”  
  
Sorata shrugged, sure it was going to be disturbing but not having much choice in the matter. “Got it.”  
  
Fuuma snagged the mike from where it had rolled and jumped up onto the stage, grin distinctly scary. “What are you waiting for?”  
  
Sorata winced at the frightened-rabbit impression Kamui was doing and hit the play button. “Whatever. Go for it.”  
  
The guitar started up rather ominously, and Fuuma smirked at the petrified Kamui and jiggled his leg to the beat.  
  
“End of passion play, crumbling away, I’m your source of self-destruction. Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear, leading on your death’s construction. Taste me, you will see more is all you need. You’re dedicated to how I’m killing you!”  
  
Kamui was curled up in chair shivering, violet eyes wide and terrified. Fuuma was obviously hitting hard with the words he’d chosen, and Kamui wished that Subaru wasn’t drunk and lying on the Sakurazukamori so he’d at least have someone around who understood what he was going through.  
  
“Come crawling faster, obey your master, your life burns faster, obey your master, master. Master of puppets, I’m pulling your strings, twisting your mind and smashing your dreams. Blinded by me, you can’t see a thing, just call my name, `cause I’ll hear you scream!”  
  
The song went on for quite a while, Kamui getting more and more traumatised. It finished with Fuuma’s evil laughter matching that of the track and Kamui’s cowering; the dark Kamui had clearly decided that if he had to go out he’d do so with a bang.  
  
Kamui was almost too shaken to sing his own song, but after some hurried whispering with Karen, he let himself be led up to the stage. Fuuma’s grin was nearly enough to undo him, but Sorata soothed him with encouraging words and persuaded him to choose a song to do.  
  
After some lengthy deliberation and an attempt to soothe his nerves, Kamui was as prepared as he was going to get.  
  
“I think I've already lost you, I think you're already gone. I think I'm finally scared now-- you think I'm weak, but I think you're wrong,” Kamui sang softly, forcing himself to look Fuuma in the eyes. “I think you're already leaving, feels like your hand is on the door. I thought this place was an empire, but now I'm relaxed, I can't be sure. I think you're so mean, I think we should try, I think I could need this in my life. I think I'm scared… I think too much. I know this is wrong, it's a problem, I'm dealing.”  
  
Hope began to surface as Kamui thought he saw a struggle going on behind Fuuma’s eyes. This song was his last ditch effort to achieve his Wish; even if it didn’t work the Apocalypse would be averted, but he found he didn’t care for a world without the Fuuma he cared about in it. He’d only chosen the path he had because of Fuuma and Kotori; without either of them, even with his other friends, most of him would be indifferent were humanity to crash and burn.  
  
“If you're gone, maybe it's time to come home-- there's an awful lot of breathing room, but I can hardly move. If you're gone, baby you need to come home, come home, ‘cause there's a little bit of something me in everything in you.”  
  
Dark _Kamui_ gritted his teeth, feeling the struggle as the real Fuuma tried to reach out to the hurt and lost looking boy on the stage, desperately craving to protect him and hold him and make it better.  
  
It was, Dark _Kamui_ felt, quite disturbing that this upset the real Fuuma more than everything before it. Perhaps it was the last straw.  
  
“I bet you're hard to get over, I bet the wound just won't shut, I bet my hands I can stay here, I bet you need more than you mind… I think you're so mean, I think we should try, I think I could need this in my life, I think I'm just scared that I know too much-- I can't relate and that's a problem.”  
  
Kamui put as much as his heart into the song as he could, trying to convey through his voice what he’d never been able to say.  
  
Fuuma was frozen, torn between two warring natures, one his own and one imposed upon him. Kamui came closer as the song drew to an end, on the verge of tears from forcing himself to keep walking when his every instinct screamed to run.  
He stopped about a foot from Fuuma, willing himself to stay still, no longer concerned over whether Fuuma would hurt him or kill him. It didn’t matter anymore; if Fuuma wouldn’t come back, he had nothing left to live for. No more duties, for the world was saved.  
  
“Fuuma…” Kamui whispered. “Please come back. I… I…love you.”  
  
Fuuma gasped raggedly, biting his lip almost hard enough to make it bleed and digging his nails into his palms. “I love you too,” the taller boy said haltingly, fighting his dark self to get the words out.  
  
Kamui’s eyes brimmed with tears. “You… I…” He started sobbing hysterically, throwing his arms around Fuuma, who smiled brilliantly as he felt his self-control reasserting itself.  
  
Laughing and crying, he pressed kisses against Kamui’s hair, whispering “I love you” over and over again and he held the younger boy close.  
  
Some of those present looked uncomfortable with the open display of affection, but Sorata and Karen were cheering and Subaru had a big smile gracing his lips.  
  
“I think it’s unanimous,” Seishirou commented idly, and was well rewarded for his efforts when Subaru kissed him enthusiastically in celebration.  
  
Hokuto would be happy to hear her suggestion had gone off as planned, he suspected. He’d have to remember to contact her again to tell her.

**Author's Note:**

> **Songs in order of appearance:**
> 
> Got To Get You Into My Life, The Beatles  
> Lady Marmalade, Christine Aguilera (cover version)  
> Jealousy, The Pet Shop Boys  
> I Knew I Loved You, Savage Garden  
> Bitch, Alanis Morisette  
> Every Breath You Take, Sting & The Police  
> Baby One More Time, Ahmet & Dweevil Zappa (cover version)  
> Master Of Puppets, Metallica  
> If You're Gone, Matchbox 20


End file.
